[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 102 (Friday, June 22, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1400]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING THE LIFE OF JAMES PRATHER JONTZ

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOE DONNELLY

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 22, 2007

  Mr. DONNELLY. Madam Speaker, in the 190 years since Indiana achieved 
statehood, many well-educated, aspiring individuals from the Ohio River 
to Lake Michigan have represented its citizens. Perhaps none of them 
came to Washington more dedicated to the ideal of representing the 
common man than James Prather Jontz. I rise today to honor his life and 
service to Indiana.
  Jim was born in Indianapolis in 1951, graduated from Indiana 
University in less than three years, completed graduate work at Purdue 
University and was an instructor at Butler University. His political 
career was sparked by his opposition to a dam building project in 
Central Indiana, and at the age of 23, he became a member of the 
Indiana House of Representatives. After representing his district for 
ten years, he was elected to the Indiana Senate where he established a 
reputation for standing up for his convictions.
  In 1986, Jim was elected to The United States House of 
Representatives where he served three terms. In Congress, Jim fought 
for his constituency's issues. Jim valued his own college education and 
he did what he could to promote college attainment in a state that long 
has trailed the national average on college attainment. He served on 
the House Agriculture Committee and worked to develop a new farm bill 
to benefit his district's farmers. He worked for our service members 
and national security needs by overseeing the transition of the Grissom 
Air Force Base to the Grissom Air Reserve Base.
  During his tenure Jim sought and secured federal funding for the 
first steps of the Hoosier Heartland Corridor, one of Indiana's most 
important highway projects. This project was stalled in the 
construction phase for nearly 20 years, but, because of his efforts, it 
was designated as one of 21 national priority corridors. Today, land 
acquisition is proceeding for the completion of the final 40 miles of 
that corridor.
  Jim might be best remembered for championing environmental causes. He 
worked to protect the Pacific Northwest's old-growth forests and to 
foster collaboration between organized labor and environmentalists. His 
work on behalf of our natural resources and environment drew national 
attention.
  Following Jim's tenure in the House, he continued advocating for the 
environment while serving as President of Americans for Democratic 
Action from 1998 to 2002. He moved to Oregon to work with forest 
preservation groups. Jim's final project was leading Working Families 
Win, an effort to raise the minimum wage and improve health care for 
the uninsured. His dedication to his fellow Americans continued until 
his death earlier this year.
  Jim Jontz raised the bar for civic engagement, both for his peers and 
his constituents. He raised awareness about many important issues. For 
the people of his district, he raised their expectations that one man 
can make a difference in so many areas of our society. Today, on behalf 
of the citizens of Indiana, I honor James Jontz for his years of 
unselfish dedication to his district, his state and his country.

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